How would you help someone who is addicted to games if you were a therapist.

[khaimera]

So I know this woman whose husband is becoming addicted to Everquest. Having treated people professionally who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction, I am pretty knowledgeable about how to treat these people, from relapse prevention to stages of change. But videogame addictions have certain similarities and differences when compared to other more common addictions.

How do you think you could best help soemone? This guy is going to lose his wife and his children are growing up before his eyes, or behind his eyes would be more fitting. Amateur psychologists unite.

 

[GodsOneMistake]

Take the game away, and shout at him.... Its foolproof

 

[Time Travelling Toaster]

Get his girlfriend and go the C.A.D route

Seriously though get them to IP ban him or change his passwords and he'll get sick of it and move on.

 

[Trendkill6]

1.The easiest(laziest) way is just let him play until he burns himself out.
2.You can have an intervention.
3. You could do thing my way backhand him and yell at him.

 

[shaboinkin]

Give him Superman 64 to play with at every session

 

[brodie21]

Slap him in the head, there is no such thing as an actual video game addiction to my knowledge, just a bunch of bunk made up by anti-gaming activists and people who want to make money by suing video game developers. i think that playing video games is a concious (Sry if i spelled it wrong) decision and he plays it because he has nothing better to do, so give him something else to entertain him and problem solved. he probably plays it because its better than living his own boring life.

 

[TaborMallory]

I used to be addicted to games, but now it's just a fun hobby.
The thing that got me was the realization that almost all games suck. (Sure, you can compare me to a Yahtzee warshipper all you want. I wouldn't care, because I'm a game cynic.)
Anyway, the secret to breaking away from video games is realizing that they're mostly a waste of time.

 

[khaimera]

Slap him in the head, there is no such thing as an actual video game addiction to my knowledge, just a bunch of bunk made up by anti-gaming activists and people who want to make money by suing video game developers. i think that playing video games is a concious (Sry if i spelled it wrong) decision and he plays it because he has nothing better to do, so give him something else to entertain him and problem solved. he probably plays it because its better than living his own boring life.

You're right about him trying to avoid his own boring life. But wrong about the addiction not being real. People can become addicted anything. The symptoms are the same. He says he wants to stop playing but can't.

PS- there are over 220 different types of 12 step groups, Chapstick Anonymous being one of them. Don't believe me, look it up.

 

[xXGeckoXx]

So I know this woman whose husband is becoming addicted to Everquest. Having treated people professionally who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction, I am pretty knowledgeable about how to treat these people, from relapse prevention to stages of change. But videogame addictions have certain similarities and differences when compared to other more common addictions.

How do you think you could best help soemone? This guy is going to lose his wife and his children are growing up before his eyes, or behind his eyes would be more fitting. Amateur psychologists unite.

Slowly reduce the amount he plays.

Say he plays 7 hours a day. Have him play six and a haf the next day. Then the next day have him play six. The n five and a half. If he complains then stop reducing his time and let him play that much for a few days before making another reduction. If you reduce his play time in small increments it won't feel hard to quit half an hour. And another half an hour.

 

[New Troll]

Shock treatment. i.e. attach a car battery to his/her keyboard.

Don't neccesarily need to be a therapist.

 

[Donbett1974]

By being TheRapist every time he/she touches the controller/keyboard. SNL reference

 

[Flour]

Since it's an MMO, use the parental controls to set a time limit.

If that doesn't work, take away the keyboard.

If that isn't an option(rest of family uses same computer, or it's a laptop), uninstall all games, set a password on the computer that he doesn't know and slap him in the face for ignoring his family.

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

I suggest trying to develop any other non-game interests he might have. If he likes golf sign him up for a class or something. I've experienced firsthand with my own semi-addictions that the more time you stay off of a game (especially an online one) the less you are compelled to return to it.

 

[Squarewave]

By solving the real issues.

If it's just a simple case of the guy being so into it he neglects everything else, then try to get him into a new hobby along side the game when he splits his time among the game and a new hobby EQ will seem like less of a big deal to him and spend even less time with it. If you cut him off completely from the game with nothing else to do he'll get bored and eventually return to it.

If its a case of the guy having depression resulting him just not caring about things in his real life it needs to be addressed. Same if they are having marital problems he could be using the game as an escape from the marriage. Playing the game too much can create the problems leading to a loop ware he spends even more time creating more problems.

Just keep in mind that games are not like drugs or alcohol that have a chemical addictive part that you have to cut off completely to detox off the addiction. It's all about moderation. Treat it the same way you would a guy who spends all day watching football or any other hobby

 

[khaimera]

By being TheRapist every time he/she touches the controller/keyboard. SNL reference

I'll take anal bum covers for 500.